Nikon has launched the much-rumored AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR, a lighter and more affordable tele-zoom with a claimed 5 stops of image stabilization. This is delivered by what the company terms 'third-generation VR,' which we're told is not a successor to VRII. The lens joins Nikon's range of constant f/4 lenses, alongside the 16-35mm f/4 and 24-120mm f/4, and includes both nano crystal coating and a ring-type AF-S motor to give full-time manual focus override. At $1400 the lens is priced relatively closely to the Canon equivalent's list price - as is the $224 optional tripod ring.

NIKON CONTINUES POPULAR SERIES OF F/4 LENSES WITH THE ADDITION OF THE NEW FX-FORMAT AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS

The AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Telephoto Zoom Lens is Nikon's First Lens with up to Five Stops of Image Stabilization; Offers Outstanding Performance and Superior Image Quality

MELVILLE, N.Y. (October 24, 2012) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the newest addition to its legendary NIKKOR line of lenses, the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR telephoto zoom lens that provides a popular and versatile focal length and a constant f/4 aperture for full frame FX-format photographers. The 70-200mm f/4 is the first NIKKOR lens to feature the third generation of Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) technology to meet the still image and video demands of advanced photographers and videographers.

In an expansion of Nikon's f/4 series of NIKKOR lenses, the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4 is an uncompromising telephoto zoom lens ready for real-world creative applications by professionals and enthusiasts including sports, portraiture and wildlife shooting. Smaller and lighter than Nikon's AF-S NIKKOR 70-200 f/2.8 lens, this 70-200mm f/4 lens offers a valuable alternative that maintains the superior image quality and lightning quick performance photographers have come to expect from Nikon.

Additionally, Nikon's newest lens is the first to feature VR image stabilization technology that is able to vastly reduce camera shake and blur by offering the equivalent shutter speed of approximately five stops slower than otherwise possible. Now users are able to shoot confidently in lower light or while handheld to deliver razor sharp images and smooth HD video.

When used alongside the Nikon D4, D800 series and D600 D-SLR cameras, 70-200mm f/4 lens users can take advantage of Nikon professional grade teleconverters to increase the focal length without sacrificing AF and VR abilities. By utilizing the camera's cross-type focus points at f/8 and below, users can effectively double the focal length of this f/4 lens to 400mm and still retain the AF ability to capture clear subjects at an even greater distance.

The AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR will be available in late November 2012 for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $1,399.95*. Nikon also offers an optional Tripod Collar, available in the near future for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $223.95*. For more information on this and other NIKKOR lenses, as well as other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time. Specifications, equipment and release dates are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.

Comments

Personally I would love to see two photos, One Zoomed Totally Out and One Zoomed Totally In on the same subject! Does anyone have this to show? All my lenses are Nikkor and I am totally pleased with the quality.

Well, looking at the price point, thinking what would this lens give me that my 70-200/2.8 VR (the first gen.) can't... well, nothing. I bought this baby (not new but never used!!) for $ 1550 with 2 high quality filters, tripod collar (of course) and what more - it is weather sealed and has 2.8 aperture. Well, the VR isn't the latest generation, but in reality I'm sometimes able to take pictures at 5,33 EV under so nothing big here too. Honestly, usually I take pictures of people with this lens so I can't use that slow shutter speeds anyway... OK, this lens will be somewhat smaller and lighter but that's it. Nothing spectacular. I was hoping for better offer from Nikon to be honest (at least with a collar and weather sealing).

No doubt this is just the introductory price and it will crumble quick if Cannon's is that much cheaper. Look what happened to the D600 prices! I know its a camera and not glass but I hope no unfortunate sole paid the £1950 predicted for launch.

Making the switch over to Canon is becoming more appealing with every new product release. Nikon has completely lost its way. It's sad to see a company previously known for their quality, and for correctly reading the market, to fall so far down the ladder, very sad indeed.

I find it quite the stretch to say that Nikon has "lost it's way" when the majority of their latest cameras have been outperforming many of their Canon competitors. Case in point: Nikon D600 and Canon 6D. Some people just like to beat up on whatever brand they aren't using.

@marike6: so your buying decision is dictated by DxO? Incredibly, DPR has just given the same score to the 5DIII (which btw I own and it is indeed a formidable camera, and I suspect that for the guys that earn their living with it the 1D X is even more) and to the D800. What now, you don't trust DPR more than DxO? Cheers! :) / ;)

Yes, the 180/2.8 is lighter, smaller, and faster. Others might consider the faster, quieter, and more accurate AF, or the zoom capability for outdoor sports, not to mention the VR. On certain bodies, you can't even auto focus with the 180mm.

No dust or weatherproofing on a D800 or D4 is not sensible when you KNOW it rains on Planet Earth.

But it does not rain on Planet Nikon anymore, there are no sandstorms, there is no pollution and there are no tripods there anymore.

Equipment fails within a 10 year period because they use lead-free solder, and even then it ain't cheap. £1200 is a LOT more than the Canon, and the build quality of the canon is so much better, and if you buy it off the web, the chances of twenty perfectly aligned lenses arriving in perfect alignment on an IS moduled optic is as remote as the images a telephoto gives you through the wrong end!I am keeping my AF-S, period

Here in the states the Canon 70-200 f4 IS L is $1249 so it's only slightly less expensive but it's been out for years. Build quality will be similar, except the Nikon likely has a more modern petal lens hood. Nikon shooters aren't overly concerned, however since EF lenses don't mount on F mount bodies.

Why this obsession with comparing it to the Canon version? Sheesh! That really is only important if you happen to have both full frame Canon and full frame Nikon bodies, which I assume is not the case for the vast majority of people. Just decide on your own whether it's worth it for you. If you feel it's overpriced, that's totally valid, but it shouldn't be because "the Canon has X".

At 3.1 x 7.0" (7.87 x 17.78 cm) at 1.87 lb (.85 kg) with a 67mm front filter thread, it's almost exactly the same size as the Canon EF 70-200 f4, which is to say it's a very compact lens. This is great news.

I haven't seen any pictures of the lens hood. Anyone? I'm hoping the similarities to the Canon version end with the lenshood, and this Nikkor includes a more modern petal hood.

The tripod collar for the Canon EF 70-200 is about the same price so I'm not sure where all the outrage is coming. A matched tripod collar, contrary to several comments below is NOT a $10 item, but a milled aluminium, fitted clamp and foot.

Go check RRS and Kirk collars you'll see they are also $200.

Unless you shoot handheld 99% of the time, it makes sense to get a proper tripod collar. They make switching to vertical much easier, your ballhead won't creep when pointing down as much, and your setup will be less vibration prone.

a decent, metal Canon ring type A replacement from China costs around $25 and works perfectly fine with Canon's 70-200/4's or even the 300/4 (old nonIS version for the record) which is bigger and heavier than this Nikkor 70-200/4.

so, yes, it is not a $10 item (plastic rings sell for this price and they are not good at all, agreed), but let's not pretend $200 is reasonable price. it's an outrage. Nikon ppl will probably have no choice in the beginning but I can hardly see people buying Nikon's genuine tripod rings once good Chinese people figure out how to make those properly - and I thinkg it'll take less than 3 months.

I've paid €150 for Canon's genuine tripod ring C for 70-300L because there was no choice. I still think (almost 2 years later) this price is an outrage and would absolutely, hands down, but a decent chinese ring if such was available back then.

I agree about the price. But people below who keep bringing up RRS and Kirk seem to be forgetting that ALL Arca Swiss plates and brackets are super expensive. I paid $60 for my RRS D7000 AS plate and the L bracket/plate combo for my D800 will be around $150. So Nikon asking $225 is not shocking. Not saying it makes sense, but it is in line with (except when considering the Chinese/Ebay knock-offs) this type of gear.

I agree the cost of these tripod rings is ridiculous. But the cheap knock-off units found on eBay and Amazon are not equal to the manufacturers' models. I spent $40 on a made in China imitation for the Canon 70-200 f/4L that seemed OK at first, but before I knew it the knob was coming loose on its own and the non-scratch material in the ring was separating. So, I bought a Canon "A" used for $115. It is of much higher quality and worth the extra money. Unfortunately it will take some time for used Nikon units and replicas to show up.

Reproduction ratio of .273 - much better magnification than my Sigma 50-150 2.8. A tad heavier and longer than the 50-150, but much smaller than the 70-200. Looks like I may not be using my 50-150 in DX mode on the D800 much longer :)

I think they were selling new for around $1,400 about half way through the cycle for the original 70-200 VR ... and subject to some rebates. Don't hold your breath for history to repeat itself. However, let's hope for a price drop after initial demand is absorbed.

Reproduction ratio of .273 - much better magnification than my Sigma 50-150 2.8. A tad heavier and longer, but much smaller than the 70-200. Looks like I may not be using my 50-150 in DX mode on the D800 much longer :)

Nice addition tho the Nikkors: 16-35/4 VR and 24-120/4 VR. Together with these two lenses, the new 70-200/4 will get you the "holy trinity f/4", a stabilized, a lot lighter, smaller, and cheaper (albeit slower) than the "holy trinity f/2.8" ;) The VR is what I miss sometimes in my Nikkor 24-70/2.8 and 14-24/2.8. I personally find the 14-24/2.8 superior in terms of optical performance to the 16-35/4 VR, no question about it. Howeve, the 24-70/2.8 is not that good as it advertised. The 24-120/4 VR is equally good. We also got the 200-400/4 VRII, although it would be nice to have an 80-400/4 VRIII or something like the Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS USM.

I have the 14-24 2.8 which I love despite the weight and bulk. Utterly fabulous glass. Ditto the 70-200 2.8 VR II. I actually sold my 24-70 2.8 because I found it uninspiring and the fact that it changes length when zooming annoyed me. I have a couple of primes in that range but have yet to find a zoom I like as much as the Canon 24-105L colleagues use.Need to have a good look at the 24-120 I guess.

I agree about the IQ of the 14-24/2.8. And I also have to agree with you about the 24-70/2.8. For me, it is the least used lens in my bag. Just like you, I also have some primes in that range of the focal length, namely the 24/1.4 and 50/1.4. The changing length of the 24-70 does not bother me as much as the distortion and and so-so IQ of it at the edges. The 24-70 is also far worse than Sigma 24-70/2.8 HSM when it comes to shooting against the light. It loses contrast and photos look a bit blueish compared to the Sigma. It lets the light in at around 55mm (through the distance scale window) and shooting a lot with the lens hood on causes the front lens ring to loosen up, because the hood bumps against it. I had it replaced a week ago, and a technician at the Nikon NPS pointed that out. He asked me if I shoot a lot with the hood on. I said yes, and he said that's why the front ring element goes loose. It's normal, he added. Sure, I thought, for an expensive glass it must be normal :)

D4, D800 and D600 offer AF sensitivity up to f8, so they can autofocus with a 2X TC (f4 + 2X teleconverter = f8 maximum aperture). Other cameras, D7000 for example, only work 5.6 or faster. You you could use this lens with the 1.4X on the D7000 and get f5.6 with autofocus, but the 1.7X or 2X converters would not autofocus.

This is good news. I've been on the fence about switching from canon 50d to Nikon d600. Nikon not having the 300 f/4 vr was the big fly in the ointment for me. I love my Canon 300 f/4 IS and I'm sure this new nikon will be at least as good. The price point looks right as well. Woo-hoo. Full frame here I come.

Grow up! Why on earth do Canon lovers read a forum on an Nikon lens??? Just to make chilidish comments like that?

Nothing is perfect on either side of the fence, I just love taking pictures. Canon and Nikon both produce excellent cameras and lenses. I am not interestred in the Canon equivelent because I have Nikon bodies!

Based on Nikon's recent lens releases, I expect the image quality of this lens to be outstanding... looking forward to seeing the reviews. To those complaining about the price... check out the prices of Nikon's used higher end lenses... they usually hold their value much better than Tokina and Sigma.

Since there's no real appreciation for Nikons eager attempts to cater for the low end of the user scale, I hope they stop waisting resources and go back to focus on doing things as good as they can rather than making them good enough for a decent price... Hopefully there will be no more 70-200 lens before they make one even better than the 70-200 2.8 vrII.

Need to bitch? The collar should cost them no more than $10 to produce in quantity. The markup is out of this world. Some of us prefer to mount a long lens via a tripod collar instead of putting stress on the camera's lens mount. Maji, you should look in the mirror before you start putting other people down.

A tripod collar is not only about weight but allows you to switch quickly into portrait orientation. That way (assuming you don't have an L-bracket) the mass of the camera stays above the apex of the tripod instead of down in the drop slot of your ballhead.

V1 lenses and another full frame lens announcement? What about filling the holes in the DX lens lineup as well. I'm on the verge of jumping the Nikon ship to mirrorless with another company and this announcement pretty much seals the deal for me. Anyone want to buy my Nikon gear?SignedTired of Waiting...

i understand the lens might be lighter but at that price and as an amateur who cant afford a ton of lens i think i need to look at the tamron or sigma 70-200 f/2.8 VR-OS-VC-IS, etc... I have the old sigma 70-200 f2.8 on my d7000 and that sucker is plenty sharp by the time you stop it down to f/4. i cant wait to see some test shots so we can compare the $1,300 70-200 offerings.

> the 70-300 L is nowhere near the 70-200 f4 L IS opticallyexcuse me? I've had them directly compared (own the 70-300L, friend of mine has 70-200/4 IS) and both are equally good. that coincides with other tests I know.

> especially at the long end where like most 70-300 lenses it is softerwhat long end? 300mm? 70-200 has none such AFAIK. and at 200mm... might be just 2 lenses I compared or the other pairs other testers did... but it nevertheless says both lenses are about as good at 200mm from f/5.0 on.

> the 70-300 L is still a slower variable aperture zoom so I'm not sure why it would be more versatilesome people need longer focal lengths than 200mm. if you want to cover the range 70-300 differently with 70-200 and something - then it's way less versatile. 70-300L has it all in one package. obviously.

That lens is optically the same as the Pentax DA*50-135 apart from the fact the Pentax has WR and better coatings plus the SDM motor. When combined with a K-5 you get the VR as Shake reduction is built into the camera.

The new Nikon would be equivalent to a 105-300 F5.6 on FX when used on a DX body where the f/stops refer to equivalent DOF and not lens speed.

@bossa: switching to Pentax would also imply dropping the stellar Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 for the vastly inferior DA* 16-50 f/2.8. I've owned the Tokina version of that lens. It is not a compromise I'm willing the make, that lens is terribly mediocre.